Neifi Say Neifi

Here's a great tidbit from Lee Sinins ATM Report earlier today:

According to Giants MGR Felipe Alou, the biggest question facing the team is "how to get Neifi Perez enough game time. He's a giant of a player. He's proven it before, he's proving it in this camp and, unfortunately, I don't have the room for a talent like that. I say this because I don't want anybody to get hurt or hit a bad slump so Neifi Perez could become a regular. It's really a tough situation. There are a lot of challenges. But I hate to have talent like that sitting on the bench."

Alou also says, "My concern is Neifi Perez. On Opening Day he will not be in the game. That's the way it is." According to Alou, he's going to "negotiate" with the starters to see if Perez can start a couple of times a week.

According to the Kansas City Star, Perez has asked his agent to ask the Giants to trade him. Unfortunately for Giants fans, not only does GM Brian Sabean say, "We have no plans of trading Neifi Perez," he compounds the damage by also stating, "No promises were made to him. He's a valuable asset, and Felipe has talked with him about the situation. He will get him more than 300 at-bats by resting guys and keeping them fresh, especially in day games after night games."

Lordy mama, sing the blues! Perez should be happy to collect his inflated paycheck. Give him 300 ABs? Where will they come from? Aurilia, Alfonso, and Durham, unless they plan to use him as DH. What a waste!

I'm beginning to think that Alou's presence is going to ensure that the NL West is a two-team race. Between the D-Backs and the Dodgers, that is. I liked this team last year, but Barry Bonds may have to hit a hundred dingers to make up for the myriad mistakes Alou will make. I'm speaking in hyperbole, of course, but with the liabilities on this team (Grissom coming off a late career year, Santiago's age, J.T. Snow's decline, Jose Cruz's head, and an asi asi staff), they don't need another at manager. And Alou proved in Montreal that he can drain the life out of a franchise. At least in San Francisco, he won't have Jeffrey Loria to help him.